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Pros And Cons Of Bill Aiming To Remove Production Cap On Arizona Winemakers

Arizona winemakers want to keep growing — and they say current state law is stopping them from doing it. Now a bipartisan bill aims to remove the current production cap on local winemakers with hopes to spur the industry forward. 

But some key players on the wholesale and distribution side of the industry are speaking out against the bill. But first, The Show heard from Michael Pierce, owner and operator of Bodega Pierce Wines and vice president of Arizona Wine Growers Association.

Those on the other side of this debate say it’s much more complicated. Tom Farley is the executive director of the Wine Spirits Wholesalers Association of Arizona, and he told The Show that it’s all about fairness. 

According to Farley, the bill would harm companies in his industry by creating an uneven playing field. And he thinks it opens up the industry to lawsuits. 

The bill still has some steps to go through before it’ll go to a full vote in the House.

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Lauren Gilger, host of KJZZ's The Show, is an award-winning journalist whose work has impacted communities large and small, exposing injustices and giving a voice to the voiceless and marginalized.